System and method for a digital network for switching web service messages

ABSTRACT

The present system and method comprises an improved marketplace for providing and consuming services. Using the present system, generally via one or more APIs, comprises a method for integrating value added services within a network of participants, for instance, a payment network. The network can use service switching capabilities to route service calls to and from the service consumers and providers using routing elements defined in a message specification. Network participants can be both consumers and providers of services. The network can route service messages to the appropriate provider depending on details in the message.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is the non-provisional of and claims priority to, andthe benefit of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application U.S. Ser. No.61/751,357 filed on Jan. 11, 2013 and entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ADIGITAL NETWORK,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to providing a system andmethod for switching messages between network participants.

BACKGROUND

Providers of services often face roadblocks to forming relationships anddeveloping product offerings for consumers of services due to theimmense logistical roadblocks and costs which hamper new productrollout. For example, the marketplace is usually fragmented andgenerally lacks defined systems and conduits for service providers andservice consumers to interact in a flexible, integrated, highly scalableway. The marketplace also typically lacks standardization in that manypotential relationships either never materialize or are not completedbecause of a lack of a framework to facilitate the interaction.Moreover, many service providers often cannot devote sufficientresources, time, effort, and money to accomplish the steps that compriseintegration and new service rollout. Also, service providers oftencannot devote sufficient resources, time, effort, and money toaccomplish the steps that comprise modifications to existing productofferings. Attempts to address these fragmentation and standardizationissues include large service providers establishing a one to manysolution. However, these attempts often fall short of providing auniversal, end-to-end solution for all service providers to usesubstantially concurrently.

As such, a long felt need exists for a universal, end-to-end, automated,standards driven solution that is open to all (or a subset of) serviceproviders and service consumers and that provides standardized tools toservice providers and service consumers to mix and match their preferredoffering slate.

SUMMARY

A web service is a method of communication between two electronicdevices over a network, such as the Internet. This may be a softwaresystem designed to support interoperable machine-to-machine interactionover a network. The present system and method comprises an improvedmarket place for providing and using web services and web servicemessages. Using the present system, generally, via one or more APIs, anentity changing service providers, and/or associated services provided,may make this change with relative ease. The present system allowsauthorization and trackable consumption of those services. Moreover, thepresent system comprises a method for integrating value added serviceswithin a network of participants, for instance, a payment network. Thesystem can use service switching capabilities to route service calls toand from the service consumers and service providers using routingattributes appended to a message. Network participants can be bothconsumers and providers of services. The system can route servicemessages to the appropriate provider, depending on details in themessage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present disclosure may be derivedby referring to the detailed description and claims when considered inconnection with the Figures, wherein like reference numbers refer tosimilar elements throughout the Figures, and:

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a high level design of an electronicmarketplace for service providers to interact with service consumers andvice versa over a digital network, in accordance with variousembodiments;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating various aspects of the digitalnetwork elements, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating the interaction of service providersand service consumers over the digital network, in accordance withvarious embodiments;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an message broker of the digitalnetwork, in accordance with various embodiments;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary use case, inaccordance with various embodiments; and

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating an exemplary use case, inaccordance with various embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

While the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are describedand illustrated herein, it will be appreciated that they are merelyillustrative and that modifications can be made to these embodimentswithout departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Thus, thedisclosure is intended to be defined only in terms of the followingclaims.

A system 100 and method for switching web service messages is disclosed.Descriptions of specific embodiments and applications are provided onlyas examples and various modifications will be readily apparent to thoseskilled in the art. The general principles defined herein may be appliedto other embodiments and applications without departing from the spiritand scope of the disclosure. Thus, the present disclosure is to beaccorded the widest scope encompassing numerous alternatives,modifications and equivalents consistent with the principles andfeatures disclosed herein. For purpose of clarity, details relating totechnical material that is known in the technical fields related to thedisclosure have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarilyobscure the present disclosure.

In general, a web service is a method of communication between twoelectronic devices over a network (e.g., the Internet). This may be asoftware system 100 designed to support interoperable machine-to-machineinteraction over a network. The present system 100 and method comprisesan improved marketplace for providing and using these services (e.g. adigital network). Using system 100, via one or more APIs, an entitychanging service providers may do so with ease. System 100 is a robustnetwork supporting revenue generating partnerships and fee-basedservices through configurable interfaces backed by a proven businessmethodology.

Digital network 110 comprises a foundational infrastructure to support avariety of use cases. Digital network 110 may serve as a marketplace ofservices and provide brokering capabilities thereof. For instance, usecases/services may include location based services, social mediaapplications, financial services, loyalty programs, travel systems,consumer system, transaction services, virtual wallets, registeredoffers, coupons, deals, marketing systems and/or the like. Theseservices may be mixed and matched as desired. Thus, digital network 110substantially enables an open marketplace of services. Within thismarketplace, the brokering of services may be accomplished which willalso enable the monetization of switching data (e.g. routing web servicemessages). By adhering to a standard and substantially uniform policyand/or policies governing the digital marketplace, service providers andservice consumers may seamlessly cater their product offerings asdesired and scale their offering set as needed.

According to various embodiments, digital network 110 is based upon aservice orientated architecture (SOA). According to the definitionscontrolling the SOA, federation is increased, through widespreaddeployment of standardized, reusable services, each of which mayencapsulate a capability provided in a consistent manner. Thus,interoperability is achieved, and the technology architecture used by aservice consumer is not tied to or locked to any one vender. Digitalnetwork 110 is a secure multi-tenant environment which has contractedcontrols over at least one of standards, capabilities, performance,security, and/or monitoring.

Via this system 100, service providers and service consumers experiencestreamlined processes, elimination of redundancy, and reduced operatingcosts. Various aspects of the present system 100 leverages cloudarchitecture and cloud architecture principals to create a highlyscalable, elastic infrastructure which may allow for consumption basedpricing and/or performance based pricing. The present system 100 is, ingeneral, technology and language agnostic. Thus, through a singleplatform, partners may join and offer new services as desired to presentadditional opportunities for their existing customer base and growththereof.

In contrast to the varied, silo-ed technologies offered previously andwhich required tremendous amounts of customization in order to allow twoindependent systems to interact. Digital network 110 presents a singleintegration model, so that participants (e.g. users/serviceproviders/service consumers) can integrate with this single platform andutilize the variety of solutions that are offered through it. Thus,participants may make use of new services to grow their businessesprovided by these other participants coupled to digital network 110. Invarious embodiments, a participant joining digital network 110 mayselect a menu of services to offer (from any other participant). Basedon the capabilities provided, a participant may pay for use. In thisway, risk is greatly reduced. As actual use is being monitored, tracked,and recorded (as discussed herein) a participant may have reduced risk.For instance, instead of paying a pre-negotiated fee, such as an upfrontfee or an annual or quarterly fee to service providers to use services,service consumers may pay for actual use, (e.g. based on each messageswitched over the network). For instance, as messages traverse digitalnetwork 110 appropriate billing codes are allocated to those messages.These messages are dispatched to a clearing and settlement platformcreating an automated mechanism for integrating the web service messagesinto billing reporting and accounting systems.

For instance, in response to a message entering into digital network110, due to the centralized nature of this distributed system 100,business logic may be applied to each switched message. As the messagesare switched within the network, information relevant to what systems(hardware and/or software) were used to switch each message may betagged to each message. However, the switched message (and itsattributes) that are exposed publicly (e.g. outside of digital network110) is scrubbed of this contextual information. However, in variousembodiments, prior to the scrubbing and generally just prior to themessage being delivered out of digital network 110, the message isprocessed and then stored in a log/database to present a full picture,such as via XML type information, including which server processed themessage, how long it took, who sent it, where was it going, confirmationthe message arrived, and/or the like.

The present system 100 is not limited to a service provider interfacingover a network through an API coupled to a service consumer also coupledto the network through an API. Stated another way, the present system100 is not limited to this one-to-one or even a one-to-many landscape.Instead, the present system 100 facilitates a many-to-many marketplace.According to various embodiments, today's service provider may betomorrow's service consumer and vice versa.

An API may be an interface implemented by a software program whichenables the API to interact with other software. An API may include aprogramming language that enables communication between computerprograms, such as programs of a merchant and programs of a financialinstitution and/or third party fraud prevention provider programs. AnAPI may be implemented by applications, libraries, and operating systemsto determine vocabularies and calling conventions, and may be used toaccess services associated therewith. An API may include specificationsfor routines, data structures, object classes, and protocols forcommunication. An API may describe the ways in which a particular taskis performed. API may define a set of request messages, along with adefinition of the structure of response messages. The API may be abackward compatible API. In some cases, the API may replace the need forand/or supplement middleware.

For example, with reference to FIG. 1, this many-to-many relationship isdepicted. Though particular example applications are presented, they arefor example purposes only and may be substituted with other applicationsand service providers/service consumers.

Digital network 110 comprises established practices and principals forconnecting disparate parties to support unified product offerings. Forexample, network principals may be foundational development anddeployment philosophies to enable participant transaction processing andsupport product value. The systems and architecture of digital network110 may include globally-oriented architectures designed with reusableframeworks, flexibility and scalability. These include secure,controlled connection mechanisms to manage transaction integrity. Thepolicies and standards of digital network 110 may include leveragingexpertise in creating and communicating equitable standards and policiesto manage potentially conflicting interests of participants and thenetwork. The product operations of digital network 110 may includeleveraging established participant management and product executionoperations, such as those known to a transaction accountissuer/transaction processor for switching transactions. For instance,many of the concepts used relevant to a transaction accountissuer/transaction processor may be applied to digital network 110. Forinstance, the concepts of reliability, secure data, dataconservatorship, brand strength, quality of product offerings, userexperience may be readily applied to digital network 110 framework.

With reference now to FIG. 2, an exemplary block diagram illustratingmajor system 100 components for enabling digital network 110 processesis presented. Digital network 110 employs authentication server/securitygateway to validate credentials such as a digital identity, assignproper permissions, review certificates, maintain security, and retrievepreference information for authorized user's 105 of digital network 110and/or web switching capabilities.

In various embodiments, digital network 110 employs security gateway tomanage various applications and utilities that are utilized by system100. In various embodiments application server/digital network 110utilizes APL+Win, and JBOSS utilizing SEAM, Richtaces JBPM, and otherJava libraries (jQuery and Javascript), JAX-WS, Apache POI, and Quartz.In various embodiments, digital network 110 interacts directly with thevarious systems and components disclosed herein.

Digital network 110 may comprise an API management engine/database. ThisAPI management engine/database may certify functionality of an API andthat APIs coupled to the system 100 conform to a standard. The APImanagement engine/database may catalog the service providers and/orservice consumers coupled to digital network 110. API managementengine/database may comprise templates for API creation/modification.

Digital network 110 may comprise utility services responsible forreconciliation of digital network 110 services. These duties may includemetering, reporting, auditing, logging services, verifying securitytoken use, monitoring services, and/or testing elements of digitalnetwork 110.

Digital network 110 may comprise a provider integration engine. Thisprovider integration engine may perform service level agreementmanagement, assist with identity federation, perform functions relatedto the security token and/or the like.

System 100 may include any number of computing platforms and databasessuch as, for example, accounting systems, financial transaction systems,reporting systems, new accounts systems, management information systems,business information systems, external data sources, proprietary systemsand the like. Each of the systems may be interconnected within by anetwork in via any method and/or device described herein. A middlewareserver and/or application server 145 may serve as an intermediarybetween the various systems to ensure appropriate communications betweendisparate platforms. A report engine retrieves and/or is provided withdata from the various systems in order to generate notices, bills,contracts, messages, audit reports, and the like.

FIG. 3 is a schematic of a web service message switching system 100generally comprising one or more consumers of web services, one or moreproviders of web services, and a digital network 110 (e.g. facilitatorsystem). The consumers of web services and the providers of web servicesare in communication with digital network 110 via a network. The networkmay be the Internet, an intranet, or an extranet, for example. Anextranet may be a private network connection provided exclusively amongtwo or more parties such as dealers, wholesalers, resellers, third partyservice providers and/or suppliers. Digital network 100 may facilitatethe substantially real-time switching of service requests, such as webservice requests.

The consumers of web services may be web users, financial transactionaccount issuers, acquirers, merchants, mobile users, vendors, and otherinterfaces. The system 100 may be capable of interfacing with at leastone application program interface (API). Each message switched by thesystem 100, is a switchable, trackable, writable message. For example,an automated journal entry and/or an automated funds exchange messagemay each correspond to a message switched by system 100.

The providers of web services may be any entity that offers anelectronic service. These services may be querying a database,calculating formula, providing data, and/or more complex tasks such asoffering location based services such as offers, discounts or services,virtual card functionality, pay with point capabilities, mobilereporting, loyalty banking, loyalty catalog services, prepaid accountservices and/or the like. The providers of web services may utilizebackend analytics to provide services.

The tracking of the messages follows the messages that are switchedthrough digital network 110. With reference to FIG. 4, this tracking maybe facilitated by tagging the messages at various points within digitalnetwork 110, such as via a message broker. For instance, according tovarious embodiments, as each message enters digital network 110, leavesdigital network 110 and/or traverses hardware elements of digitalnetwork 110, the switched message is appended with data to detail thispath taken. This appended data may include designation identifiers ofthe hardware elements used in the message switching. This appended datamay be metadata appended to the each message. This data may be tagged toeach message. This appended data may include designation identifiers ofthe sender and/or the recipient of the message. =This appended data mayinclude ordinal information, such as time to process the message, whenthe message entered digital network 110 and when the message wasdelivered to a recipient.

In concert with this tracking, a validation system of digital network110 may confirm that the sender and/or recipient of the message areauthorized to send messages over digital network 110. For instance, asdescribed in further detail herein, this confirmation may includeverifying that a service level agreement (SLA) is in place, and/orverifying the call against the terms agreed upon in a license orcontract that is in place. For instance, the tracking may verify thatthe terms of the agreement in place are not violated. For instance, thata level of service is appropriate. This may include at least one ofverifying that the volume of messages being switched within a measuredperiod do not exceed a threshold, that the speed of the messageswitching is within tolerances of the agreement, that the participant iscurrent on their payment plan and/or the like.

Prior to the message leaving digital network 110, the path taken by eachmessage may be recorded and stored to a database and each message may bescrubbed, such as prior to consumption and/or delivery by a consumer ofweb services and/or providers of web services.

The present system 100 allows for authorization and trackableconsumption of those services (e.g. switching messages). The system 100provides the capability of tracking, with a high degree of granularity,cost and volume of web switched messages traversing digital network 110.Thus, a cost and volume per service may be produced and ensure thatservices are provided and consumed with the correct pricing scheme.These schemes may be based on each message switched, batches of switchedmessages, time ranges of switched messages and/or the like.

The systems 100 and methods provide an improved, tangible, integrated,online service marketplace. Various embodiments may be implemented by asystem 100, computer readable medium or a method or any combinationthereof. The systems 100 and methods include a unique combination of oneor more features associated with a service marketplace. In variousembodiments, the system 100 provides a marketplace for service providersand service consumers to engage in message switching transactions. Thesystem 100 may be implemented as a web-based system 100 that provides aprocess for managing the brokering message switching transactions. Thesystem 100 enables a one-stop resource for service providers to interacttogether and with service consumers, providing not only a marketplacefor message switching transactions, but centralized access to serviceproviders. In various embodiments, the system 100 references serviceagreements, rules of service agreements, and versions of serviceagreements.

Exemplary benefits of the system 100 include providing standardizedintegration, processes, and security to participants of digital network110. The participants of digital network 110 benefit by the efficiencyand choice created by this standardization. Service providers are betterable to market and commercialize their services. Service consumer'sbenefit from being able to perform comparative analysis for serviceproviders that are presented in a standardized manner. Digital network110 provides new revenue streams to the service providers by helping tomerchandise services. Moreover, efficiencies are gained by creating acommunity of service provider's service consumers, trusted third partiesand/or brokers that transact web service messages across a commonplatform.

While the embodiments described herein are described in sufficientdetail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the system 100and/or method, it should be understood that other embodiments may berealized and that logical and mechanical changes may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Thus, thedetailed description herein is presented for purposes of illustrationonly and not of limitation.

For the sake of brevity, conventional data networking, applicationdevelopment and other functional aspects of the system 100 (andcomponents of the individual operating components of the systems) maynot be described in detail herein. Furthermore, the connecting linesshown in the various figures contained herein are intended to representexemplary functional relationships and/or physical couplings between thevarious elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additionalfunctional relationships or physical connections may be present in apractical system.

In various embodiments, the system 100 includes various user interfaces(UI), software modules, logic engines, numerous databases and computernetworks. While the system 100 may contemplate upgrades orreconfigurations of existing processing systems, changes to existingdatabases and system tools are not necessarily required by the system100 and method.

While the description references specific technologies, hardware,equipment, system 100 architectures and data management techniques,practitioners will appreciate that this description is but oneembodiment and that other devices and/or methods may be implementedwithout departing from the scope of the disclosure. Similarly, while thedescription may reference a user interfacing with the system 100 via apersonal computer user interface, practitioners will appreciate thatother interfaces may include mobile devices, kiosks and handheld devicessuch as personal digital assistants.

“Entity” may include any individual, consumer, consumer, group,business, organization, government entity, transaction account issuer orprocessor (e.g., credit, charge, etc), merchant, consortium ofmerchants, consumer, account holder, charitable organization, software,hardware, service provider, service consumer and/or any other entity.

An “account”, “account number” or “consumer account” as used herein, mayinclude any device, code (e.g., one or more of an authorization/accesscode, personal identification number (“PIN”), Internet code, otheridentification code, and/or the like), number, letter, symbol, digitalcertificate, smart chip, digital signal, analog signal, biometric orother identifier/indicia suitably configured to allow the consumer toaccess, interact with or communicate with the system 100. The accountnumber may optionally be located on or associated with a rewardsaccount, charge account, credit account, debit account, prepaid account,telephone card, embossed card, smart card, magnetic stripe card, barcode card, transponder, radio frequency card or an associated account.The system 100 may include or interface with any of the foregoingaccounts or devices, or a transponder and RFID reader in RFcommunication with the transponder (which may include a fob). Typicaldevices may include, for example, a key ring, tag, card, cell phone,wristwatch or any such form capable of being presented forinterrogation. Moreover, the system 100, computing unit or devicediscussed herein may include a “pervasive computing device,” which mayinclude a traditionally non-computerized device that is embedded with acomputing unit. Examples may include watches; Internet enabled kitchenappliances, restaurant tables embedded with RF readers, wallets orpurses with imbedded transponders, etc.

The account number may be distributed and stored in any form of plastic,electronic, magnetic, radio frequency, wireless, audio and/or opticaldevice capable of transmitting or downloading data from itself to asecond device. A merchant account number may be, for example, any numberor alpha-numeric characters that identify a particular merchant forpurposes of account acceptance, account reconciliation, reporting, orthe like.

A “transaction account” may include any account that may be used tofacilitate a financial transaction. A financial institution ortransaction account issuer includes any entity that offers transactionaccount services to consumers. Although often referred to as a“financial institution,” the financial institution may represent anytype of bank, lender or other type of account issuing institution, suchas credit card companies, card sponsoring companies, or third partyissuers under contract with financial institutions. It is further notedthat other participants may be involved in some phases of thetransaction, such as an intermediary settlement institution, but theseparticipants are not shown.

A “financial processor,” “payment network,” or “payment system” or“transaction account issuer” may include any entity which processestransactions, issues accounts, acquires financial information, settlesaccounts, conducts dispute resolution regarding accounts, and/or thelike.

System 100, digital network 110 and/or any other components discussedherein may further include one or more of the following: a host serveror other computing systems including a processor for processing digitaldata; a memory coupled to the processor for storing digital data; aninput digitizer coupled to the processor for inputting digital data; anapplication program stored in the memory and accessible by the processorfor directing processing of digital data by the processor; a displaydevice coupled to the processor and memory for displaying informationderived from digital data processed by the processor; and a plurality ofdatabases.

As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, one or moreof the components of system 100 may be embodied as a customization of anexisting system, an add-on product, upgraded software, a stand alonesystem (e.g., kiosk), a distributed system, a method, a data processingsystem, a device for data processing, a computer and/or a computerprogram product. Accordingly, individual system 100 components may takethe form of an entirely software non-transitory embodiment, an entirelyhardware embodiment, or an embodiment combining aspects of both softwareand hardware. In various embodiments, a system 100 component (e.g. acomputer) may include a processor, a memory, a communications interface,a network interface, etc. Furthermore, individual system 100 componentsmay take the form of a computer program product on a non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program codemeans embodied in the storage medium. Any suitable computer-readablestorage medium may be utilized, including hard disks, CD-ROM, flashmemory, optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, and/or thelike.

The system 100 contemplates uses in association with web services,transaction processing, utility computing, pervasive and individualizedcomputing, security and identity solutions, autonomic computing,commodity computing, mobility and wireless solutions, open source,biometrics, grid computing and/or mesh computing.

User 105 may include any buyer, seller, service provider, serviceconsumer, individual, customer, group of individuals, charity,cardholder, business, entity, government organization, software and/orhardware that utilizes system 100 or accesses system 100 functionality.User 105 may include, for example, a participant communicating withdigital network 110, such as through an API. In various embodiments,user 105 may interface with digital network 110 via any communicationprotocol, device or method discussed herein or known in the art. Forexample, user 105 may interact with digital network 110 by way of anInternet browser at client 112.

Client 112 comprises any hardware and/or software suitably configured tofacilitate requesting, retrieving, updating, analyzing, entering and/ormodifying data. Client includes any device (e.g., personal computer)which communicates (in any manner discussed herein) with digital network110 via any network discussed herein. Such browser applications compriseInternet browsing software installed within a computing unit or systemto conduct online transactions and/or communications. These computingunits or systems may take the form of a computer or set of computers,although other types of computing units or systems may be used,including laptops, notebooks, point of sale device, hand held computers,set-top boxes, workstations, computer-servers, main frame computers,mini-computers, PC servers, pervasive computers, network sets ofcomputers, and/or the like. Practitioners will appreciate that client112 may or may not be in direct contact with digital network 110. Forexample, client 112 may access the services of digital network 110through another server, which may have a direct or indirect connectionto digital network 110. Client 112 may be mobile or may be located in ahome or business environment with access to a network. In an exemplaryembodiment, access is through a network or the Internet through acommercially-available web-browser software package.

As those skilled in the art will appreciate, client 112 includes anoperating system (e.g., Windows NT, 95/98/2000, OS2, UNIX, Linux,Solaris, MacOS, Android, iPhone OS etc.) as well as various conventionalsupport software and drivers typically associated with computers orcomputing devices. Client 112 may include any suitable personalcomputer, mobile device, phone, network computer, workstation,minicomputer, mainframe or the like. Client 112 can be in a home orbusiness environment with access to a network. In an exemplaryembodiment, access is through a network or the Internet through acommercially available web-browser software package.

In various embodiments, various components, modules, and/or engines ofsystem 100 may be implemented as micro-applications or micro-apps.Micro-apps are typically deployed in the context of a mobile operatingsystem, including for example, a Palm mobile operating system, a Windowsmobile operating system, an Android Operating System, Apple iOS, aBlackberry operating system and the like. The micro-app may beconfigured to leverage the resources of the larger operating system andassociated hardware via a set of predetermined rules which govern theoperations of various operating systems and hardware resources. Forexample, where a micro-app desires to communicate with a device ornetwork other than the mobile device or mobile operating system, themicro-app may leverage the communication protocol of the operatingsystem and associated device hardware under the predetermined rules ofthe mobile operating system. Moreover, where the micro-app desires aninput from a user, the micro-app may be configured to request a responsefrom the operating system which monitors various hardware components andthen communicates a detected input from the hardware to the micro-app.

Client 112 may be independently, separately or collectively suitablycoupled to the network via data links which includes, for example, aconnection to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) over the local loop asis typically used in connection with standard modem communication, cablemodem, Dish networks, ISDN, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), or variouswireless communication methods, see, e.g., Gilbert Held, UnderstandingData Communications (1996), which is hereby incorporated by reference.It is noted that the network may be implemented as other types ofnetworks, such as an interactive television (ITV) network.

Client 112 may include any number of applications, metadata, codemodules, cookies, and the like to facilitate interaction with digitalnetwork 110 in order to, for example, input data, completetemplates/forms, annotate, view reports, validate data, approve data,compare activities such as to rules of a SLA and/or the like. In variousembodiments, client 112 may store user 105 preferences and/or any otherinformation disclosed herein on a hard drive or any other local memorydevice. Accordingly, client 112 may retrieve and store consumerinformation within a memory structure of client 112 in the form of abrowser cookie, for example. In another embodiment, client 112 retrievesinformation relating to user 105 from IP marketplace 115 on establishinga session with digital network 110.

Firewall 120, as used herein, may comprise any hardware and/or softwaresuitably configured to protect digital network 110 components from usersof other networks. Firewall 120 may reside in varying configurationsincluding stateful inspection, proxy based and packet filtering amongothers. Firewall 120 may be integrated as software within digitalnetwork 110, any other digital network 110 components or may residewithin another computing device or may take the form of a standalonehardware component. One skilled in the art will recognize that afirewall or multiple firewalls may be implemented throughout system 100to enable system and data security.

Digital network 110 may include any hardware and/or software suitablyconfigured to facilitate communications between client 112 and one ormore digital network 110 components. Further, digital network 110 may beconfigured to transmit data to client 112 within markup languagedocuments (e.g., XML, HTML, etc.). As used herein, “data” may includeencompassing information such as commands, queries, files, data forstorage, and/or the like in digital or any other form. Digital network110 may operate as a single entity in a single physical location or asseparate computing components located together or in separate physicallocations.

Digital network 110 may provide a suitable web site or otherInternet-based graphical user interface which is accessible by users. Invarious embodiments, digital network 110 employs RedHat Linux Enterprise5.x Server and Apache Http server. In various embodiments, the MicrosoftInternet Information Server (IIS), Microsoft Transaction Server (MTS),and Microsoft SQL Server, are used in conjunction with the Microsoftoperating system, Microsoft NT web server software, a Microsoft SQLServer database system, and a Microsoft Commerce Server.

Any of the communications, inputs, storage, databases or displaysdiscussed herein may be facilitated through a web site having web pages.The term “web page” as it is used herein is not meant to limit the typeof documents and applications that might be used to interact with theuser. For example, a typical web site might include, in addition tostandard HTML documents, various forms, Java applets, JavaScript, activeserver pages (ASP), common gateway interface scripts (CGI), extensiblemarkup language (XML), dynamic HTML, cascading style sheets (CSS),helper applications, plug-ins, and/or the like. A server may include aweb service that receives a request from a web server, the requestincluding a URL (e.g. http://yahoo.com/stockquotes/ge) and an IP address(e.g. 123.4.56.789). The web server retrieves the appropriate web pagesand sends the data or applications for the web pages to the IP address.Web services are applications that are capable of interacting with otherapplications over a communications means, such as the Internet. Webservices are typically based on standards or protocols such as XML,SOAP, WSDL and UDDI. Web services methods are well known in the art, andare covered in many standard texts. See, e.g., Alex Nghiem, IT WebServices: A Roadmap for the Enterprise (2003), hereby incorporated byreference.

In order to control access to components of digital network 110, digitalnetwork 110 may invoke authentication server in response to user 105submissions of authentication credentials received at digital network110 from client 112. Authentication server may include any hardwareand/or software suitably configured to receive authenticationcredentials, encrypt and decrypt credentials, authenticate credentials,and grant access rights according to privileges (e.g., pre-definedprivileges) attached to the credentials. Authentication server may grantvarying degrees of application and data level access to users based oninformation stored within a database and/or any other known memorystructure. According to various embodiments, these privileges may betied to SLAs and/or discrete rules of an SLA. Moreover, in response to aprivilege being granted, a switched message may be appended with dataidentifying the rule and/or SLA including the exact version of the SLAassociated with the granted privilege. In this way, audits may beperformed, as desired, pointing to exact terms and conditions under aSLA for granting a privilege, such as a message switching privilege.

A workflow engine 148 comprises hardware and/or software modules thatimplement process definition, tracking and execution. Workflow engine148 may comprise one or more software applications, modules or dataobjects. The software may be any executable code written in any softwareprogramming language, such as, for example Java®. For example, workflowengine 148 reads data from the various service providers and serviceconsumers and instantiates a data object (e.g. a Java Bean®) to storethe data for use by software modules or other objects. In variousembodiments, workflow engine 148 executes an automated or partiallyautomated process such as a service switching capability to route aservice call. In various embodiments, workflow engine 148 enablesdocumenting of the message switching process and tracks progress towardcompletion of the process, such as the routing of service calls overdigital network 110.

Digital network 110 may include any hardware and/or software suitablyconfigured to facilitate storing data relating to, for example, SLAs,promotions, tracking and status data, schedules, transactions,statements, amounts owed, payments, authentication credentials, userpermissions, consumer preferences, and the like.

According to various embodiments and with reference to FIG. 5, atransaction account holder/customer may log into an issuer site andaccess a loyalty points bank (1). This may be a third party providerloyalty points bank, such as Loylogic. The issuer may authenticate therequest and prompts for a Digital ID (2). The transaction accountholder/customer may create a Digital ID if not previously registered(3). Digital Network 110 may check for association with the loyaltypoints bank for Digital ID provided (4). Upon approval that anassociation exists, such as a contractual association, Digital Network110 transfers the request to the loyalty points bank, e.g. the loyaltypoints bank system (5). The loyalty points bank retrieves Points balanceand User Profile through Digital Network 110 APIs (6). The loyaltypoints bank presents a catalogue to the transaction accountholder/customer to shop and check out (7). Then, the loyalty points bankcalculates points required and calculates additional currency (8). Theloyalty points bank may present a summarized transaction to transactionaccount holder/customer to verify (9). The loyalty points bank mayupdate Points Bank (10). The Points Bank is updated through DigitalNetwork 110 APIs (11). The loyalty points bank completes transaction andconfirms the same to transaction account holder/customer (12).

According to various embodiments, and with reference to FIG. 6, usingaspects of the present system 100, from the customer point of view, thecustomer makes an election to a pay with points service by linking aloyalty membership with their transaction account. For instance, thecustomer may then select to pay an online merchant with alternativecurrency, such as over digital network 110, via an API. In thisembodiment, both the merchant and the customer may be coupled to digitalnetwork 110 either directly or via a merchant portal. For example, anissuer website may provide a web based user interface to the consumerfor linking loyalty points. At this point, the customer may be directedto a registration site if not previously accomplished. For example, themerchant may call digital network 110 web service requesting alternativecurrencies linked to the customer account. The merchant may call digitalnetwork 110 web service requesting point balance and local currencyexchange rate. The digital network 110 may be associated with thecentral authorization system (CAS) which may be linked to addressverification (AAV) and/or card security code (CID) verificationservices. In response, digital network 110 may call the issuer webservice requesting current point balance. In response, digital network110 may call the prearranged exchange rate. For example, digital network110 may reference a point translation contract database to determine thecurrent exchange rate between the issuer loyalty point system and thetransaction currency. The issuer may periodically update digital network110 with new contracts and exchange rates. Each of these calls may beone or more distinct web service switched messages. Each is appendedwith data to detail the sender and the recipient, and any hardwareelements used, such as servers, and/or applications, used to switch themessage. As messages exit digital network 110 this appended data may beremoved and/or recorded, such as for invoicing.

The customer may confirm the amount of loyalty points to allocate to thepurchase. In response to this confirmation, the merchant may requestauthorization over digital network 110. The merchant may call digitalnetwork 110 requesting authorization on a loyalty point transaction.Digital network 110 may call the issuer web service to authorize thetransaction amount. The issuer may respond with an authorize or declineresponse. Digital network 110 may respond with an authorization ordecline response.

One skilled in the art will appreciate that system 100 may employ anynumber of databases in any number of configurations. Further, anydatabases discussed herein may be any type of database, such asrelational, hierarchical, graphical, object-oriented, and/or otherdatabase configurations. Common database products that may be used toimplement the databases include DB2 by IBM (White Plains, N.Y.), variousdatabase products available from Oracle Corporation (Redwood Shores,Calif.), Microsoft Access or Microsoft SQL Server by MicrosoftCorporation (Redmond, Wash.), or any other suitable database product.Moreover, the databases may be organized in any suitable manner, forexample, as data tables or lookup tables. Each record may be a singlefile, a series of files, a linked series of data fields or any otherdata structure. Association of certain data may be accomplished throughany desired data association technique such as those known or practicedin the art. For example, the association may be accomplished eithermanually or automatically. Automatic association techniques may include,for example, a database search, a database merge, GREP, AGREP, SQL,using a key field in the tables to speed searches, sequential searchesthrough all the tables and files, sorting records in the file accordingto a known order to simplify lookup, and/or the like. The associationstep may be accomplished by a database merge function, for example,using a “key field” in pre-selected databases or data sectors.

More particularly, a “key field” partitions the database according tothe high-level class of objects defined by the key field. For example,certain types of data may be designated as a key field in a plurality ofrelated data tables and the data tables may then be linked on the basisof the type of data in the key field. The data corresponding to the keyfield in each of the linked data tables is preferably the same or of thesame type. However, data tables having similar, though not identical,data in the key fields may also be linked by using AGREP, for example.In accordance with one aspect of system 100, any suitable data storagetechnique may be utilized to store data without a standard format. Datasets may be stored using any suitable technique, including, for example,storing individual files using an ISO/IEC 7816-4 file structure;implementing a domain whereby a dedicated file is selected that exposesone or more elementary files containing one or more data sets; usingdata sets stored in individual files using a hierarchical filing system;data sets stored as records in a single file (including compression, SQLaccessible, hashed via one or more keys, numeric, alphabetical by firsttuple, etc.); Binary Large Object (BLOB); stored as ungrouped dataelements encoded using ISO/IEC 7816-6 data elements; stored as ungroupeddata elements encoded using ISO/IEC Abstract Syntax Notation (ASN.1) asin ISO/IEC 8824 and 8825; and/or other proprietary techniques that mayinclude fractal compression methods, image compression methods, etc.

In various embodiments, the ability to store a wide variety ofinformation in different formats is facilitated by storing theinformation as a BLOB. Thus, any binary information can be stored in astorage space associated with a data set. As discussed above, the binaryinformation may be stored on the financial transaction instrument orexternal to but affiliated with the financial transaction instrument.The BLOB method may store data sets as ungrouped data elements formattedas a block of binary via a fixed memory offset using fixed storageallocation, circular queue techniques, or best practices with respect tomemory management (e.g., paged memory, least recently used, etc.). Byusing BLOB methods, the ability to store various data sets that havedifferent formats facilitates the storage of data associated with system100 by multiple and unrelated owners of the data sets. For example, afirst data set which may be stored may be provided by a first party, asecond data set which may be stored may be provided by an unrelatedsecond party, and yet a third data set which may be stored, may beprovided by an third party unrelated to the first and second party. Eachof these three exemplary data sets may contain different informationthat is stored using different data storage formats and/or techniques.Further, each data set may contain subsets of data that also may bedistinct from other subsets.

As stated above, in various embodiments of system 100, the data can bestored without regard to a common format. However, in one exemplaryembodiment, the data set (e.g., BLOB) may be annotated in a standardmanner when provided for manipulating the data onto the financialtransaction instrument. The annotation may comprise a short header,trailer, or other appropriate indicator related to each data set that isconfigured to convey information useful in managing the various datasets. For example, the annotation may be called a “condition header”,“header”, “trailer”, or “status”, herein, and may comprise an indicationof the status of the data set or may include an identifier correlated toa specific issuer or owner of the data. In one example, the first threebytes of each data set BLOB may be configured or configurable toindicate the status of that particular data set; e.g., LOADED,INITIALIZED, READY, BLOCKED, REMOVABLE, or DELETED. Subsequent bytes ofdata may be used to indicate for example, the identity of the issuer,user, transaction/membership account identifier or the like. Each ofthese condition annotations are further discussed herein.

The data set annotation may also be used for other types of statusinformation as well as various other purposes. For example, the data setannotation may include security information establishing privilegesand/or access levels. The annotation may designate hardware systemsutilized. The access levels may, for example, be configured to permitonly certain individuals, levels of employees, companies, or otherentities to access data sets, or to permit access to specific data setsbased on the transaction, merchant, issuer, user or the like.Furthermore, the security information may restrict/permit only certainactions such as accessing, modifying, and/or deleting data sets. In oneexample, the data set annotation indicates that only the data set owneror the user are permitted to delete a data set, various identified usersmay be permitted to access the data set for reading, and others arealtogether excluded from accessing the data set. However, other accessrestriction parameters may also be used allowing various entities toaccess a data set with various permission levels as appropriate.

One skilled in the art will also appreciate that, for security reasons,any databases, systems, devices, servers or other components of system100 may consist of any combination thereof at a single location or atmultiple locations, wherein each database or system 100 includes any ofvarious suitable security features, such as firewalls, access codes,encryption, decryption, compression, decompression, and/or the like.

As used herein, the term “network” includes any cloud, cloud computingsystem or electronic communications system or method which incorporateshardware and/or software components. Communication among the parties maybe accomplished through any suitable communication channels, such as,for example, a telephone network, an extranet, an intranet, Internet,point of interaction device (point of sale device, personal digitalassistant (e.g., iPhone®, Palm Pilot®, Blackberry®), cellular phone,kiosk, etc.), online communications, satellite communications, off-linecommunications, wireless communications, transponder communications,local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), virtual privatenetwork (VPN), networked or linked devices, keyboard, mouse and/or anysuitable communication or data input modality. Moreover, although thesystem 100 is frequently described herein as being implemented withTCP/IP communications protocols, the system 100 may also be implementedusing IPX, Appletalk, IP-6, NetBIOS, OSI, any tunneling protocol (e.g.IPsec, SSH), or any number of existing or future protocols. If thenetwork is in the nature of a public network, such as the Internet, itmay be advantageous to presume the network to be insecure and open toeavesdroppers. Specific information related to the protocols, standards,and application software utilized in connection with the Internet isgenerally known to those skilled in the art and, as such, need not bedetailed herein. See, for example, Dilip Naik, Internet Standards andProtocols (1998); Java 2 Complete, various authors, (Sybex 1999);Deborah Ray and Eric Ray, Mastering HTML 4.0 (1997); and Loshin, TCP/IPClearly Explained (1997) and David Gourley and Brian Totty, HTTP, TheDefinitive Guide (2002), the contents of which are hereby incorporatedby reference.

“Cloud” or “Cloud computing” includes a model for enabling convenient,on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computingresources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services)that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal managementeffort or service provider interaction. Cloud computing may includelocation-independent computing, whereby shared servers provideresources, software, and data to computers and other devices on demand.For more information regarding cloud computing, see the NIST's (NationalInstitute of Standards and Technology) definition of cloud computing athttp://csrc.nist.gov/groups/SNS/cloud-computing/cloud-def-v15.doc (lastvisited Feb. 4, 2011), which is hereby incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

The system 100 and method may be described herein in terms of functionalblock components, screen shots, optional selections and variousprocessing steps. It should be appreciated that such functional blocksmay be realized by any number of hardware and/or software componentsconfigured to perform the specified functions. For example, system 100may employ various integrated circuit components, e.g., memory elements,processing elements, logic elements, look-up tables, and/or the like,which may carry out a variety of functions under the control of one ormore microprocessors or other control devices.

Similarly, the software elements of system 100 may be implemented withany programming or scripting language such as C, C++, Java, COBOL,assembler, PERL, Visual Basic, SQL Stored Procedures, extensible markuplanguage (XML), with the various algorithms being implemented with anycombination of data structures, objects, processes, routines or otherprogramming elements. Software elements (e.g., modules, engines, etc)may be implemented as a web service. In various embodiments, webservices are implemented using Webservice Interoperability OrganizationBasic Profile 1.1.

A web client includes any device (e.g., personal computer) whichcommunicates via any network, for example such as those discussedherein. Such browser applications comprise Internet browsing softwareinstalled within a computing unit or a system to conduct onlinetransactions and/or communications. These computing units or systems maytake the form of a computer or set of computers, although other types ofcomputing units or systems may be used, including laptops, notebooks,tablets, hand held computers, personal digital assistants, set-topboxes, workstations, computer-servers, main frame computers,mini-computers, PC servers, pervasive computers, network sets ofcomputers, personal computers, such as iPads, iMACs, and MacBooks,kiosks, terminals, point of sale (POS) devices and/or terminals,televisions, or any other device capable of receiving data over anetwork. A web-client may run Microsoft Internet Explorer. MozillaFirefox, Google Chrome, Apple Safari, or any other of the myriadsoftware packages available for browsing the internet.

The system 100 contemplates uses in association with web services,utility computing, pervasive and individualized computing, security andidentity solutions, autonomic computing, cloud computing, commoditycomputing, mobility and wireless solutions, open source, biometrics,grid computing and/or mesh computing.

Further, it should be noted that system 100 may employ any number ofconventional techniques for data transmission, signaling, dataprocessing, network control, and/or the like. Still further, system 100could be used to detect or prevent security issues with a client-sidescripting language, such as JavaScript, VBScript or the like. For abasic introduction of cryptography and network security, see any of thefollowing references: (1) “Applied Cryptography: Protocols, Algorithms,And Source Code in C,” by Bruce Schneier, published by John Wiley & Sons(second edition, 1995); (2) “Java Cryptography” by Jonathan Knudson,published by O'Reilly & Associates (1998); (3) “Cryptography & NetworkSecurity: Principles & Practice” by William Stallings, published byPrentice Hall; all of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

These software elements may be loaded onto a general purpose computer,special purpose computer, or other programmable data processingapparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions that executeon the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus createmeans for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart block orblocks. These computer program instructions may also be stored in acomputer-readable memory (or “computer-readable medium”) that can directa computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to functionin a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in thecomputer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture includinginstruction means which implement the function specified in theflowchart block or blocks. The computer program instructions may also beloaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatusto cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computeror other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implementedprocess such that the instructions which execute on the computer orother programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing thefunctions specified in the flowchart block or blocks.

Accordingly, functional blocks of the block diagrams and flowchartillustrations support combinations of means for performing the specifiedfunctions, combinations of steps for performing the specified functions,and program instruction means for performing the specified functions. Itwill also be understood that each functional block of the block diagramsand flowchart illustrations, and combinations of functional blocks inthe block diagrams and flowchart illustrations, can be implemented byeither special purpose hardware-based computer systems which perform thespecified functions or steps, or suitable combinations of specialpurpose hardware and computer instructions. Further, illustrations ofthe process flows and the descriptions thereof may make reference touser windows, web pages, web sites, web forms, prompts, etc.Practitioners will appreciate that the illustrated steps describedherein may comprise in any number of configurations including the use ofwindows, web pages, web forms, popup windows, prompts and/or the like.It should be further appreciated that the multiple steps as illustratedand described may be combined into single web pages and/or windows buthave been expanded for the sake of simplicity. In other cases, stepsillustrated and described as single process steps may be separated intomultiple web pages and/or windows but have been combined for simplicity.

Practitioners will appreciate that there are a number of methods fordisplaying data within a browser-based document. Data may be representedas standard text or within a fixed list, scrollable list, drop-downlist, editable text field, fixed text field, pop-up window, and/or thelike. Likewise, there are a number of methods available for modifyingdata in a web page such as, for example, free text entry using akeyboard, selection of menu items, check boxes, option boxes, and/or thelike.

System 100 enables users 105 (e.g., digital network participant such asa service provider and/or service consumer), to interact, via routingcalls and switching service messages. These switched messages may beassociated with transactions for goods and services; however they arenot limited to transactions of goods and services. System 100 combinesunique standardization, process improvement, workflow, data integration,searching, and data security features to enable a seamless, feature-richmessage switching marketplace.

Digital network 110 may invoke an authentication server 130 to verifythe identity of user 105 and verify SLA permissions and/or accessrights. This may include a determination of the efficiency of thesystems used to process the request. In this way, based on thisinformation retrieved by the authentication server 130, the routing ofthe message may be affected. For instance, a user 105 may havecontracted for message switching at a set speed which can be processedby a certain class of hardware, such as a tiered class of hardware. Toaccess the application server 145 or other components of digital network110, Internet server 125 may invoke an authentication server 130 inresponse to user 105 submissions of requests for routing service callsbeing received by digital network 110. When a request to access system100 is received from Internet server 125, Internet server 125 determinesauthentication from the sender credentials and/or characteristics of themessage. When user 105 is authenticated, user 105 may access variousapplications and their corresponding data sources. This access may berestricted only to certain aspects of digital network 110. For instance,certain service providers may have contracts to interact with a set ofservice consumers. For instance, a transaction account transactionprocessor may offer a loyalty point bank to their members. These membersmay be able to spend the loyalty points at a specific online catalog.This online catalog may be one of many catalogs coupled to digitalnetwork 110. Based on the SLA, digital network 110 based on thisinformation retrieved by the authentication server 130 may route thevarious services calls to the proper service providers. Note, in theabove example, the transaction account transaction processor is aservice consumer of the loyalty point bank service provider; the loyaltypoint bank service provider is a service consumer of the online catalogservice provider. As can be seen, the roles of service requestor andservice provider may be designated by the entity requesting andproviding data respectively.

According to various embodiments, a service consumer may desire the useof a membership points redemption service. Instead of a plurality ofusers, such as a plurality transaction account issuers leveraging asingle point redemption service, the present system allows for multiplemembership point catalog providers. In this way, the issuers would beable to have choice with whom they would like to integrate and offerservices. Thus, after a new SLA is put in place the system 100 allowsfor competition between those providers, a marketplace of services.Based on the framework of digital network 110 and, in general, APIsbetween the service providers and service consumers and thestandardization, in this case, the issuer is able to switch between theservice providers (e.g. the multiple membership point catalog providers)without changing their integration. In this way an issuer (e.g. serviceconsumer and service provider) may “shop around” as to what servicesthey want to utilize to offer their products. Due to the standardizationof the interfaces and the framework, not only may a service consumerswitch between similar service providers which offer similar services,but a service consumer may add, remove, or exchange services offeredwith ease. For instance, an issuer whom has historically offered aloyalty points catalogue service to its members may toggle to offering apartnership with a frequent flier system with relatively littledifficulty. The system 100 makes it easier for partners to consumeservices, without the need to integrate different services individually,which saves the participants time and money.

According to various embodiments, digital network 110 manages theservices offered at the network level rather than individually from theservice providers to reduce the demands on the users.

Participants in digital network 110 may conform to a standard, such as astandard similar to an ISO standard. This standard may define technicaldetails such as defining layout of a participant's interfaces, and/ordefine business process, such as defining penalties for not meetingobligations. This may be limited to the participant's API layout or toparticipant's back end services. According to various embodiments, thestandard may be used as a template for developing an API for interfacingwith digital network 110. According to various embodiments the system100 does not use commercial XML (CXML). According to variousembodiments, the on-boarding process for participants includes acertification process. This certification process may help ensure thatparticipants can actually provide the services they represent they canprovide. It may include a test phase and/or warranties fornon-performance. The on-boarding process may include do a technicalcertification that their compliance to the standard.

According to various embodiments, fees may be assessed on thetransactions (e.g. switch messages) that flow across digital network110. These fees on integration messages may be assessed on all switchedmessages that traverse the network or a subset of messages that flowacross digital network 110. For instance, these messages may be or maynot be financial in nature. Thus, these feed messages can benon-financial messages. As an example, a non-financial message may be amessage where there is no exchange of money associated with the message.A facilitation fee for facilitating the movement of messages across thenetwork may be assessed.

According to various embodiments a service consumer, such as a globalexchange and clearinghouse for virtual currencies such as loyalty pointsor miles (e.g. LoyLogic), have a user may desire to make a purchase viaa catalog. Interacting with an issuer's website, the user may from thevirtual catalog, request a call from a points bank. In this way, thecatalog calls the points bank. However, the user's identity is providedacross the network without actually exposing the credentials of theuser. Thus, the system 100 leverages passing data regarding the user'scredentials and the date without actually exposing the user'scredentials such as by offering tokens with stand in the place ofsensitive data. This secure transfer of information over digital network110 is applicable to any web switching message that traverses digitalnetwork 110.

In this way, the issuer may assert what can be done against that tokenas far as what permissions the user has with respect to the servicesoffered they wish to leverage for their membership and digital network110 may be able to control execution of those permissions within thenetwork. In this way, digital network 110 controls that privacy is beinghonored. Thus, the identity of the user is protected and the security ofdigital network 110 is protected. Also, the privacy and the compliancerequirements around the user's transaction account information aresecure.

This is in contrast to a typical service oriented solution by shiftingthe logic around network protection into the network space. Forinstance, typically, you would have a service provider and all of theauthorization/permissions would be held at the service provider, suchas, who has access to what permissions. The present system 100 movesthat high level logic out of the service provider application intodigital network 110. In the scenario where a message is moving acrossthe network, where the message is being sent and the security around allthe different participants is carefully controlled by the system 100.

According to various embodiments, identification of fraud riskprevention can be increased and broadened. For instance, withtraditional fraud risk prevention there is generally a substantial datastorage that feeds into a system that understand spending behaviornature and payment behavior taking into account, velocity checks,historical patterns and the like. In contrast, digital network 110facilitates capture of real-time transactional information as it ismoving across digital network 110 and stores it in a database in realtime. For instance, a user may use a Pay with Points service and/orvirtual wallet service each of which is facilitated via digital network110. A fraud prevention service provider may also be a participant ondigital network 110. These may all be linked to a user links via digitalnetwork 110. A message may be communicated to digital network 110participant and/or service consumers that there is a potentialfraudulent activity associated with a user. All participants consumingthat fraud service may benefit from the information and take action asappropriate. Similar scenarios with respect to credit alerts arecontemplated.

According to various embodiments, a social media application such asOpen Table or Yelp may include a community of people discussing how theylike a restaurant or product offerings. An offer system provided throughdigital network 110, leveraging analytics, may present the best offers,from a merchant perspective and/or from an issuer perspective, such ashow much money does this person traditionally spend on restaurants, oris it the right offer?Depending on the API's a service consumer ispartnered with multiple benefits and cross-leveraging of services may beachieved. For instance, depending on the various participants, a percentoff or the amount of a bill and/or bonus points may be deposited into aloyalty point bank and/or into a virtual wallet system in response toacceptance of an offer or writing a review. For instance, in response toa star ranking and/or review provided by a user on a restaurant rankingsystem coupled to digital network 110, such as Yelp, a service providercoupled to digital network 110 may present an offer such as a RegisteredCard offer or Groupon offer at similar class, geographically relevant,restaurants, depending on which service providers each user and/orservice consumer is contracted with to leverage.

Due to the framework of digital network 110, (e.g. the network is in themiddle) and the policies and security models in place to protect theuser data and the on-call privileges, digital network 110 can enforceon-call principles at the network level. Thus, digital network 110 isable to control and dictate, based on the attributes of each message,that a service consumer may call upon data, such as from any providercoupled to the digital network. Digital network 110 can block requeststhey are not on-call compliant based on the attributes of the request.

According to various embodiments, users are verified to digital network110. For instance a user requests a digital ID. The user may becertified prior to being issued a Digital ID. Once issued a digital IDthe user may use their registered Digital ID and request switching ofservice call messages over digital network 110. The user may registerfor digital network services. This may entail registering and signing alicensing agreement to use services from service providers. Theselicensing agreements may be word documents and/or coded rules. Access toaspects of digital network 110 may depend on compliance with thesedocuments and/or specific coded rules.

Due to the security framework of digital network 110, data is protectedbetween participants of digital network 110. Thus, any one participantis not able to see the data of any other participant.

According to various embodiments, a participant need not reconfiguretheir existing interfaces and structure to interface with digitalnetwork 110. Instead, an additional API may be inserted between theexisting interface of the participant and digital network 110 so tomaintain the unified cohesive marketplace of services. A non-exhaustivelist of participants of digital network 110 may include, digital prepaidaccount, such as Serve, acquirers, issuers, risk mitigation,monetization providers, loyalty account providers, geo-location basedoffers, registered card offers, analytics, currency exchanges, socialmedia providers, customer relationship management providers, internetmerchants, complete merchant solutions, credit bureaus, travel services,transportation access, mobile applications and/or mobile applicationdevelopers. For instance, additional details regarding these serviceproviders that may be participants and the services provided may beappreciated from U.S. Ser. No. 13/411,281 entitled “System and Methodfor Providing Coupon-less Discounts Based on a User Broadcasted Message”filed Mar. 2, 2012; U.S. Ser. No. 12/874,063 “API Based FraudMitigation” filed on Sep. 1, 2010; and U.S. Ser. No. 13/540,216 entitledSystems and Methods for Transferring Value via a Social Network” filedon Jul. 2, 2012; the disclosures of each are incorporated herein byreference in their entirety for any purpose.

According to various embodiments, in response to a transaction occurringon digital network 110, accurate risk fraud calculations based onanalytics and/or VI analytics may be made with regard to the user. Forexample, a customer shopping at a mall may imitate a transaction with astore, where the transaction is processed via digital network 110. Thestore identifier and/or point of sale device may indicate to digitalnetwork 110 the location of the user. In response to receiving thisinformation the back-end system of digital network 110 may initiatecalculations on the risk of the transaction (being fraudulent, default,etc.). For instance, the calculations may include the internal data,such as a customer's payment history, purchase history, amount ofmembership reward points and/or the like. Digital network 110 maycross-reference a database which stores merchant offers and perform areal time calculation to determine success or probability of relevanceof a unique offer specifically customized for this customer. Forinstance, the customer may receive a message on their phone to go to ageographically nearby merchant and use membership reward points toredeem purchase of a specific item and receive a discount.

Each service provider partnered with digital network 110 may becross-referenced to create services for users. For instance, loyaltyservices may be combined with risk and/or a fraud services. Marketingcampaigns may be combined with analytics of credit risks. Theserelationships may hone campaigns. For instance a marketing campaign maynot be sent to a user who is currently at risk at default. Digitalnetwork 110 and its framework allows for relatively easy combination ofservices. In essence, according to various embodiments, participants ofdigital network 110 may mix and match the services desired and/orconsumed and orchestrate them together to create experiences thatwouldn't be possible with traditional the one to one relationships. Inanother example, a work flow and sales force may integrate with and useinformation from Facebook and/or other social media applications. Thus,digital network 110 can add and consolidate services by utilizingmultiple third-party service providers.

Internal data is any data a credit issuer possesses or acquirespertaining to a particular consumer. Internal data may be gatheredbefore, during, or after a relationship between the credit issuer andthe consumer. Such data may include consumer demographic data. Consumerdemographic data includes any data pertaining to a consumer. Consumerdemographic data may include consumer name, address, telephone number,email address, employer and social security number. Consumertransactional data is any data pertaining to the particular transactionsin which a consumer engages during any given time period. Consumertransactional data may include transaction amount, transaction time,transaction vendor/merchant, and transaction vendor/merchant location.Transaction vendor/merchant location may contain a high degree ofspecificity to a vendor/merchant. For example, transactionvendor/merchant location may include a particular gasoline filingstation in a particular postal code located at a particular crosssection or address. Also for example, transaction vendor/merchantlocation may include a particular web address, such as a UniformResource Locator (“URL”), an email address and/or an Internet Protocol(“IP”) address for a vendor/merchant. Transaction vendor/merchantlocation may also include information gathered from a WHOIS databasepertaining to the registration of a particular web or IP address. WHOISdatabases include databases that contain data pertaining to Internet IPaddress registrations. Transaction vendor/merchant and transactionvendor/merchant location may be associated with a particular consumerand further associated with sets of consumers. Consumer payment dataincludes any data pertaining to a consumer's history of paying debtobligations. Consumer payment data may include consumer payment dates,payment amounts, balance amount, and credit limit. Internal data mayfurther comprise records of consumer service calls, complaints, requestsfor credit line increases, questions, and comments. A record of aconsumer service call includes, for example, date of call, reason forcall, and any transcript or summary of the actual call.

Internal data may further comprise closed-loop data and open-loop data.Closed-loop data includes data obtained from a credit issuer'sclosed-loop transaction system. A closed-loop transaction systemincludes transaction systems under the control of one party. Closed-looptransaction systems may be used to obtain consumer transactional data.Open-loop data includes data obtained from a credit issuer's open-looptransaction system. An open-loop transaction system includes transactionsystems under the control of multiple parties.

Participants in digital network 110 may earn loyalty points forswitching messages via digital network 110 or any of the other processesdisclosed herein. The system also facilitates redeeming these loyaltypoints for value and/or discounts.

According to various embodiments, a computer-based method of the presentsystem 100 may include receiving a request to route a service callmessage from a requestor to a service provider through an API within anelectronic marketplace of service providers and service consumers, (e.g.digital network 110). Digital network 110 may verify privileges of therequestor to request services from the service provider. Digital network110 may tag the service call message with data indicating the results ofthe verifying. Digital network 110 may store the tags of the servicecall message to a database. After storing, digital network 110 may scrubthe tags of the service call message. Digital network 110 may route theservice call message to the service provider in response to positiveverification that the requestor may request services from the serviceprovider and based on the attributes of the service call message.Digital network 110 may audit, at any time, the efficiency of therouting of the first and second call messages, such as to verify thatthe routing occurs within SLA tolerances and/or agreed upon rates.

According to various embodiments, digital network 110 may receive aresponse to the routed service call message such as through an API.Similar to the request, digital network 110 may verify privileges of theservice provider to deliver services to the requestor. Digital network110 may tag the response to the service call message with dataindicating the results of the verifying. Digital network 110 may tag theresponse to the service call message with data identifying the requestorof the service call message, information identifying an intendedrecipient of the service call message, information identifying an actualrecipient of the service call message, information identifying a time ofan origination of the request, and/or information identifying a time ofthe delivering the request to the actual recipient. Digital network 110may store the tags of the response to the service call message to adatabase which is separate from storing the tags to the message itself.Digital network 110 may store the tags of the response to the servicecall message to the message itself. Digital network 110 may store thetags of the response to the service call message to the database,instead of saving the tags to the service call message. Digital network110 may scrub the tags of the response to the service call message.Digital network 110 may route the response to service call message tothe requestor, in response to positive verification that the serviceprovider may provide services to the requestor and based on theattributes of the response to the service call message.

Digital network 110 may partially or fully secure the identity of therequestor from the marketplace of service providers and serviceconsumers. According to various embodiments, only digital network 110and the initial requestor have access to this information. A fee isassessed to the requestor and/or to the recipient for routing theservice call message. The fee for routing the service call message tothe requestor may be based on a pro-rated cost of hardware elements usedto switch each message. The fee for routing the service call message tothe requestor may be based on a defined cost of each hardware elementused to switch each message. If a participant wishes for faster and/ormore efficient resources they may contract for these resources, and themessages may be switched by servers and processors that meet thecontract provisions. These may carry increased fees, as compared withother resources available. The verifying may involve comparing theattributes of the request to a specific rule of an agreement. Digitalnetwork 110 may tag information which identifies at least one of therule, the agreement, and a version of the agreement. Digital network 110may dynamically switch service level agreements to verify against, aschanges to service level agreements are accessible to the digitalnetwork computer/system 100. The marketplace of service providers andservice consumers may include disparate and/or similar third partyservice providers and service consumers. The frameworks of the APIsdescribed herein may conform to a standard. Digital network 110 may tagthe message with at least one of the identification of the hardwareelements and software processing used to deliver the service callmessage from the requestor to the service provider.

Digital network 110 may append a token comprising proxy attributes tothe service call message. This may be in place of any data such asmetadata. This metadata, token, and/or appended data may be encryptedusing techniques described and referred to herein.

According to various embodiments, the request may be received through afirst API and the request may be routed to the service provider throughthe same first API. Such is the case where a merchant is requesting itsown data via digital network 110. The on-boarding of service providersand/or service consumers to the electronic marketplace may include acertification process. Each service call message may be routed based onon-call privileges of digital network 110. In this way, the serviceconsumer's message may be directed to any entity that performs a serviceso long as the proper permissions are in place. This functionality mayopen up competition for services where roadblocks existed previously.

According to various embodiments, the requestor and/or service providermay earn loyalty points for requesting to route the service call messagevia digital network 110. This may be based on fees paid for use ofdigital network 110, on a per message switched basis, exceedingbenchmarks, not violating a license or contract within a certain period,user reviews, based on batches of messages and/or the like. A secondservice provider coupled digital network 110 who was not the recipientof the routed message may use the information of the service callmessage to transmit a second service call message to the requestor. Thismay be to an anonymous recipient as the identity of the member may besecure.

In various embodiments, digital network 110 comprises a plurality ofapplication programming interfaces (APIs). The APIs enable digitalnetwork 110 to interface with various systems (e.g. a third partyapplication). API specifications may be open or proprietary. Digitalnetwork 110 may include a plurality of API's enabling third party and/orexternal applications to access the services of the marketplace and tobuild their own integrated channels. According to various examples, aparticipant may build custom applications (a.k.a., “apps”) that accessthe capabilities of digital network 110 via APIs.

In various embodiments, digital network 110 framework enables aparticipant to configure and offer promotions via digital network 110.For example, service providers (that run social media based restauranttable reservation systems) may wish to increase usage of their service.The service provider may configure a promotion on digital network 110such that the terms of the promotion are advertised to digital network110 users and/or a subset of selected digital network users. Promotionsmay be configured via a promotions configuration interface and/or via apromotion API. Digital network 110 receives a promotion setup requestand parses the request into promotion parameters. Promotion parametersmay include, for example, criteria for whom the promotion is offered to,criteria for the timing of the promotion, a reward associated with apromotion, criteria for qualifying for the reward, etc. Digital network110 may associate promotion parameters with one or more channels and maysave the promotion (e.g. to a promotion database). In variousembodiments, digital network 110 may determine system entities (serviceproviders and/or service consumers) that comply with first promotionalcriteria (as identified in the promotion parameters) and send a noticeof the promotion to such entities. Sending the notice may includesending a promotion solicitation via an email message, a link, a uniformresource locator (URL), a customized web page, a social networking website, an app, a text message and a mobile application. In variousembodiments, users that are being offered a promotion receive notice ofthe promotion via the channel guide interface. For example, the channelassociated with the interface may be displayed with an indicator (e.g. acolor, a graphic, text, etc) to inform the user that the channel isoffering a promotion.

As used herein, references to “switching messages,” “switched messages,”“switching web service messages,” “service switching capability,” and“routing service calls” may be used interchangeably.

Systems, methods and computer program products are provided. In thedetailed description herein, references to “one embodiment”, “anembodiment”, “an example embodiment”, etc., indicate that the embodimentdescribed may include a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include theparticular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrasesare not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when aparticular feature, structure, or characteristic is described inconnection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within theknowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure,or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or notexplicitly described. After reading the description, it will be apparentto one skilled in the relevant art(s) how to implement the disclosure inalternative embodiments.

Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have beendescribed herein with regard to specific embodiments. However, thebenefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any elements that maycause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become morepronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essentialfeatures or elements of the disclosure. The scope of the disclosure isaccordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, inwhich reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean“one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one ormore.” Moreover, where a phrase similar to ‘at least one of A, B, or C’is used in the claims or specification, it is intended that the phrasebe interpreted to mean that A alone may be present in variousembodiments, B alone may be present in various embodiments. C alone maybe present in various embodiments, or that any combination of theelements A, B and C may be present in a single embodiment; for example,A and B, A and C, B and C, or A and B and C. All structural, chemical,and functional equivalents to the elements of the above-describedexemplary embodiments that are known to those of ordinary skill in theart are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended tobe encompassed by the present claims. Further, a list of elements doesnot include only those elements but may include other elements notexpressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, orapparatus.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A computer-based method comprising:receiving, by a digital network computer, a request to route a servicecall message from a requestor to a service provider within an electronicmarketplace of service providers and service consumers; verifying, bythe digital network computer, privileges of the requestor to requestservices from the service provider; tagging, by the digital networkcomputer, the service call message with data indicating results of theverifying; storing, by the digital network computer, the tags of theservice call message to a database; scrubbing, by the digital networkcomputer, the tags of the service call message; and routing, by thedigital network computer, the service call message to the serviceprovider in response to positive verification that the requestor mayrequest services from the service provider and based on attributes ofthe service call message.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprisingsecuring the identity of the requestor from the marketplace of serviceproviders and service consumers.
 3. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising: receiving, by the digital network computer, a response tothe routed service call message; verifying, by the digital networkcomputer, privileges of the service provider to deliver services to therequestor; tagging, by the digital network computer, the response to theservice call message with data indicating the results of the verifying;storing, by the digital network computer, the tags of the response tothe service call message to a database; scrubbing, by the digitalnetwork computer, the tags of the response to the service call message;and routing, by the digital network computer, the response to servicecall message to the requestor in response to positive verification thatthe service provider may provide services to the requestor and based onattributes of the response to the service call message.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising tagging, by the digital network computer, atleast one of information identifying the requestor of the service callmessage, information identifying an intended recipient of the servicecall message, information identifying an actual recipient of the servicecall message, information identifying a time of an origination of therequest, and information identifying a time of the delivering therequest to the actual recipient.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein a feeis assessed to the requestor for routing the service call message by thedigital network computer.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein theverifying further comprises comparing the attributes of the request to arule of an agreement.
 7. The method of claim 6, further comprisingtagging, by the digital network computer, the identification of at leastone of the rule, the agreement, and a version of the agreement.
 8. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the marketplace of service providers andservice consumers are disparate third party service providers andservice consumers.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the request isreceived through a first API.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein therequest is routed to the service provider through a second API.
 11. Themethod of claim 9, wherein the framework of the first API conforms to astandard.
 12. The method of claim 1, further comprising tagging, by thedigital network computer, at least one of the identification of thehardware elements and software processors used to deliver the servicecall message from the requestor to the service provider.
 13. The methodof claim 12, assessing a fee for routing the service call message to therequestor based on a pro-rated cost of hardware elements used to switcheach message.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is receivedthrough a first API and the request is routed to the service providerthrough the first API.
 15. The method of claim 1, wherein theon-boarding of service providers to the electronic marketplace includesa certification process.
 16. The method of claim 1, wherein each servicecall message may be routed based on on-call privileges of the electronicmarketplace of service providers and service consumers.
 17. The methodof claim 1, wherein the requestor earns loyalty points for requesting toroute the service call message from the requestor to the serviceprovider within the electronic marketplace of service providers andservice consumers.
 18. The method of claim 1, wherein a second serviceprovider coupled to the electronic marketplace of service providers andservice consumers who was not the recipient of the routed message mayuse the information of the service call message to transmit a secondservice call message to the requestor.
 19. An electronic marketplacesystem comprising: an electronic marketplace of service providers andservice consumers; a service provider coupled the electronic marketplaceof service providers and service consumers; a requestor coupled theelectronic marketplace of service providers and service consumers; and adigital network processor, wherein the requestor transmits a request toroute a service call message from the requestor to the service providerwithin the electronic marketplace of service providers and serviceconsumers via the digital network processor, wherein the digital networkprocessor verifies the privileges of the requestor to request servicesfrom the service provider, wherein the digital network processor tagsthe service call message with data indicating results of the verifying,wherein the tags are stored to both the service call message and to adatabase, wherein the tags of the service call message are scrubbed bythe network processor, and wherein the digital network processor routesthe service call message to the service provider in response to apositive verification that the requestor may request services from theservice provider and based on attributes of the service call message.20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium havingcomputer-executable instructions stored thereon that, in response toexecution by an electronic marketplace computer, causes the computerperform operations comprising: receiving, by a digital network computer,a request to route a service call message from a requestor to a serviceprovider within an electronic marketplace of service providers andservice consumers; verifying, by the digital network computer,privileges of the requestor to request services from the serviceprovider; tagging, by the digital network computer, the service callmessage with data indicating results of the verifying; storing, by thedigital network computer, the tags of the service call message to adatabase; scrubbing, by the digital network computer, the tags of theservice call message; and routing, by the digital network computer, theservice call message to the service provider in response to positiveverification that the requestor may request services from the serviceprovider and based on attributes of the service call message.